Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Katie has been lobbying hard all year to institute a new holiday in our family-her half birthday celebration. In her mind this day would be just like her actual birthday with adventures and festivities including cake, ice cream, and presents.

Since the seed for this idea may or may not have been planted when she overheard her mama trying to convince her daddy that it would be a fabulous idea to celebrate half birthdays, we compromised. We took her out for lunch. She painted a special picture during school. She gleefully announced to everyone she came in contact with that it was her half birthday. And at the end of the day, we celebrated with a breakfast cookie. But the best part of all was that she felt special. We reminisced and loved on her and celebrated her, and that was enough. I love that in a world that puts value on fancy vacations and expensive things that we’re raising children that are content with celebrations filled with love and laughter, and not much else.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Matthew 6:19-21

The first picture is the before picture of the kitchen. We haven’t had the money to do much with the kitchen yet, but it’s in our five year plan to completely remodel it. ( I’m really hoping it will be on the sooner end of five years!) For now we pulled down the silver tiles that were there as a backsplash and repainted and added border. It’s much more us now that we’ve been here a while and it’s happy and cheerful and serves our family’s needs.

This is the dining area that opens to our back deck, and the room that my husband has put the most work into. Since this is less of a room and more of a nook he put a giant hole in the wall to open it up. The wall used to be an outside wall, so it was quite a lot more work than he originally thought it would be, but it was so worth the weeks of construction and drywall dust all over the entire house! It used to feel very small and claustrophobic, and now it’s perfect! (This is just one illustration of the many, many talents my husband possesses and I am so very blessed to be his wife. He can literally do everything!)

First is the before picture of the family room. The second picture is taken standing in the dining area looking through the newly constructed hole (window? I don’t even know what to call it!) We took down the chair rail and border and painted, and now we have a nice big room we can all spend time together in. The right side of the room has all the girls toys, etc., as well as the keyboard and lots and lots of books. The left side of the room has my big desk with all of my craft supplies, etc. and a desk and computer for the girls.

In the bathroom we stripped and repaired the walls then repainted and put up a new border. It’s a little small for our family being the only bathroom, but my husband has plans to put a second bathroom upstairs. After my kitchen is done, of course!

New paint and border for the living room, and that’s about it. This is my favorite room in the house. There’s lots of light and it’s just bright and sunny and happy. We still need to sand and refinish the floor, but other than that it’s perfect!

Before and after of the girls room. Don’t mind the mess, I never remember to get in there with the camera when it’s actually clean…

We’ve been here for eight months now, and already I can’t imagine living anywhere else…it’s been home since the day we moved in!